Interestingly, the value-added tax appeared first in the academic research of the American economist T. Congress only took into consideration the implementation of a federal (nation-wide) sales tax as a source for revenue to finance World War II. Instead, sales taxes are levied and controlled at the state (sub-national) and local (sub-state) levels, where they account for a significant part of state and local revenue. A 1979 study published by the Tax Foundation offered some insight into arguments for or against VAT as compared to sales tax. Perhaps the greatest benefit of taxation via VAT is that because taxation applies at every step of the chain of production of a good, tax evasion becomes difficult.

VAT is an indirect tax that is imposed at different stages of the production of goods and services, whenever value is added. Countries that impose a VAT can also impose it on imported and exported goods. All participants in a supply chain, such as wholesalers, distributors, suppliers, manufacturers, and retailers, will how to calculate sales tax usually need to pay VAT, not just the end consumer, as is done with U.S. sales tax. VAT can be calculated as the sales price minus the costs of materials or parts used that have been taxed already. When filing federal income tax, taxpayers need to choose to either take the standard deduction or itemize deductions.

What is value-added tax?

Moreover, as you will see in the following, the high diversity of sales tax structures over U.S. states can hurt the economy through distorting consumption and investment. Another way to avoid sales tax completely is to shop on a tax holiday, which individual states periodically announce to try and boost consumer spending. If you’re selling tangible goods that are not exempt from sales tax (such as groceries), you more than likely have to collect sales tax.

If you sell products to customers who turn around and sell the same product to customers, you might not need to collect sales tax. Instead, your customer, who becomes the seller, must collect sales tax. The customers must have resale certificates to be exempt from paying sales taxes. Sales tax is a tax imposed on customers when they purchase products and services.

History of the sales tax

Purchasers of goods who have not paid sales tax in their own jurisdiction must file use tax returns to report taxable purchases. Many states permit such filing for individuals as part of individual income tax returns. Sales taxes collected in some states are considered to be money owned by the state, and consider a vendor failing to remit the tax as in breach of its fiduciary duties.

• Some of the earlier attempts at sales tax raised a lot of problems.
• Other taxes may also apply, such as the state’s 1% restaurant tax.
• Moreover, as you will see in the following, the high diversity of sales tax structures over U.S. states can hurt the economy through distorting consumption and investment.
• For example, if a product costs $100 and the sales tax rate is 7%, the total amount including sales tax would be $107 ($100 x 1.07).
• Hotel and meeting room rentals are subject to a 9% rooms tax, and a 9% meals tax is charged on sales of prepared food and restaurant meals.
• Vermont has a 6% general sales tax.[190] Groceries, clothing, prescription and non-prescription drugs are exempt.
• Vermont has a 6% general sales tax, but an additional 10% tax is added to purchases of alcoholic drinks that are immediately consumed.